Harvest Roman Countryside Program 2017

ITINERARY

DAY 1, September 29th : WELCOME TO ROMEArrival in Rome at Fiumicino airport and meeting with our driver, who will be waiting for you outside the security area after you have passed through baggage claim. Look for our greeting sign!Private transfer by deluxe minivan to our hotel, a property in the Castelli Romani area. Accommodations in our reserved bank of rooms.This afternoon enjoy a welcome drink during the briefing with a representative of our Company. Overnight at your hotel in Castelli Romani area.

DAY 2, September 30th : THE PAPAL PALACEBreakfast at the hotel. Today you will have the opportunity to visit Castel Gandolfo – for centuries the home of the Pope’s summer residence. The Catholic Church owns a great deal of real estate, but few of their properties are as beloved as the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo. This baroque structure, designed by the legendary architect Carlo Maderno, has served as the popes’ summer home since Pope Urban VIII chose it for its stunning position and panorama in 1626. The fabulous architecture and precisely landscaped gardens of Villa Barberini, a section of the 55-hectare property, were an ideal escape from Rome’s summer heat. This is a privileged visit too, since Pope Francis only recently opened access to the public, who are allowed to visit independently at a single entry time on Sunday or by organized tour only. The estate, in recent times, also served as a hideout when certain popes wanted to avoid public scrutiny or the demands of visiting world leaders. Pope John XXIII used to enjoy evading his security here so that he could mix with the locals in the nearby town. Although popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI spent considerable time at the Castel Gandolfo, Pope Francis has decided not to use the house and has instead opened it up for public visits. We will tour the Apostolic Palace for an insider’s look at the rare treasures it contains. Often referred to as the ‘Second Vatican’, it boasts breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape from the Papal Terrace, a view that some say eclipses the riches within.

Continue for an hour-long stroll through the best of the Barberini Gardens, some of the most beautiful in Italy, built over the ruins of the 1st century CE villa of Roman Emperor Domitian. Afterwards, have a lunch break in a typical “Fraschetta” on the Lakes where you can taste “porchetta”, ham, mozzarella, cheeses and the local wines. As a perfect ending to this day, you will have a leisurely cruise on Lake Albano while hearing tales of the fascinating history of this beautiful area. Enjoy the view of the sun set over the small boats gliding over the placid waters of Lake Albano. Return to the hotel and overnight in Castelli Romani area.

DAY 3, October 1 st : IT’S HARVEST TIME! Breakfast at the hotel and meeting with the drivers in the hotel lobby: today it’s harvest time. Immerse yourself in the wine making experience! Transfer to a local vineyard / old wine cellar where you will be introduced to the secrets and time-honored processes involved in making the famous Frascati wine. You will have the chance to take part in actual wine making as you get ‘down-and- dirty’ at the winery. Together we will enter the vineyards to harvest grapes from the vine and then head back to the presses and vats. Here we will participate in the age-old grape-stomping experience that in Italy we call “Vendemmia”, which was the norm before modern machines were created to mechanize the process. We’ll see how these machines standardize winemaking and increase the winery’s output. You will have the opportunity to barrel-sample the fermenting grape juice so you can see how the grapes’ sugar isslowly turned into alcohol, making it wine. All this will no doubt give you an appetite… let’s move on to refreshment sand a generous tasting of locally produced fresh products! Back to the hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight at your hotel in Castelli Romani area.

DAY 4, October 2nd : IT’S CHEESE AND MOZZARELLA TIMEAfter breakfast at your hotel, transfer to a local cheese producer to discover how mozzarella and pecorino, iconic Italian cheeses, are made. Soft creamy fresh and aged cheeses are vital parts of Italian cuisine. Your cheese-making visit will include demonstrations, discussions and steps on how to preserve and serve various cheeses along with tastings of the products with a glass of wine – naturally! This afternoon transfer to the Catacombs Ad Decimum – Grottaferrata for a guided tour. These catacombs, containing approximately 1000 burials from the 2 nd -5th centuries CE, were only discovered in the 20 th century by farmers plowing a vineyard. Later transfer to the town with the ancient Abbey San Nilo with view over the Castel Gandolfo lake from the central piazza. Time to wander around and explore. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Overnight at your hotel in Castelli Romani area.

DAY 5, October 3rd : THE ROMAN CASTLES Today you will have a nice stroll through the historical center of the town of Frascati and visit the fascinating gardens of Villa Aldobrandini. Stop for lunch in a typical local restaurant to taste the fresh local production. This afternoon, enjoy a wine tour with an area producer who specializes in the famous Fascati Superiore wine andthe sweet Cannellino, which was the wine of choice from the days of Roman emperors. Return to your hotel and overnight.

DAY 6, October 4th : ARICCIA AND NEMI Leave with your tour leader to discover (even today!) more amazing villas, villages and – of course – delightful food! Start with the visit of the little town of Albano that is home to intriguing Ancient Ruins and the beautiful Villa Doria Pamphili, a wonderful villa filled with authentic Italian gardens. You will continue to Ariccia, where you will have the opportunity to taste the towns local delicacy “Porchetta”, a mouthwatering Roast Pork dish, and accompany it with a delectable glass of wine. After lunch you will arrive to Nemi, and admire the beauty of the marvellous Lake Nemi, a volcanic lake. You will return in the hotel in the late afternoon, in time to be ready for an amazing farewell dinner to say you “Arrivederci”.

DAY 7, October 5 th : ARRIVEDERCI Breakfast in the hotel and check out. Private transfer to Rome Airport in time to come back home. Possibility of booking a post-tour in Rome or in other city / regions, as Florence and Tuscany, or Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Ask us for a quote!

*** End of our services ***

What’s included:

- 06 nights at a featured Hotel 3*S or 4* in Castelli Romani area with breakfast included - Private arrival and departure transfer from/to Airport or Train Station in Rome - English speaking professional Tour Escort from Day 1 to Day 6 - Private luxury vehicle at disposal Full Day for the entire trip - Welcome drink at the hotel or nearby to meet the rest of the group - Private tour and entrance fee to Castel Gandolfo Papal Palace - Harvest full-day activity as per itinerary - Mozzarella cheese and pecorino tasting in a local farm - Entrance fee at the Catacombs Ad Decimum in Grottaferrata - Wine tasting in Frascati - Farewell dinner with drinks included - Gardens and Villas entrances as per itinerary

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